Where Light Is Found
by thewobbler
Summary: AU. Despite all the power he possessed, he still wasn't able to protect her from the Fallen Ones. Now that he's found her once again, will the High King be able to restore the love that they lost?
1. Words are flowing out

**Author's Note: **The inspiration for this story literally came from a dream I just had and I couldn't _not _write it… so, here it is. It's my first time to write for this genre, but I do hope that I won't fail tragically with it.

This story is AU, and I used _some _of the Greek gods and goddesses as reference materials. There may be some similarities between what you've heard from myths and legends and the characters in this story.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

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><p><strong>Where Light Is Found<br>****Chapter 1**

_In the beginning was darkness. _

_There was no life, no land, no waters, no heat, nothing; nothing but the love that the first god and goddess had for each other. _

_No one knows of the history behind the appearance of the high god and goddess, but they all knew of the story that came after they were known to exist. It was through their overwhelming love and desire for companionship that they created the universe and all within it. They started with taking bits and pieces of their magic and creating new beings to help them form everything that we have now. Since they had no control of the magic that they have already let loose, the beings became their friends and were eventually recognized as gods themselves—although none of them ever questioned the authority that those who came before them held. The first god and goddess were known as the High King and Queen, while the beings that they created formed the Royal Court._

_Eventually, the world was set in place. Mortals were born to live and enjoy everything that the gods created. Countries, cities, and villages rose and evolved, but none of them ever forgot their debt to the higher beings. Upon seeing that the mortals had no magic or power for themselves and that they moved only as their creators ordered them to, the High King and Queen gifted them with free will. The Majesties felt it was only appropriate that they awarded their people with the ability to make choices—so they can do whatever they wish, and choose to worship whoever they want to worship. It was only fair since they did not possess the same abilities as the immortals who ruled over them. It was this desire for equality that led to their downfall._

_The gods lived among their people. They built a magnificent castle that stood in the center of the earth, in a city called _Urbis Deorum_—the City of the Gods. It was here that the mortals went whenever they would encounter something that troubled them, and all the gods were willing to help solve whatever it was. Their people travelled from all over the world to visit the city whenever they would need advice, or whenever they would have a desire that no ordinary mortal could fulfill. Despite the immortality and obvious power of the higher beings, the High King and Queen insisted that they all view themselves as equals—although the respect between subject and ruler still remained._

_The mortals went about their lives. They learned, they discovered, they invented, but they never forgot. The gods watched as structures evolved from simple huts to skyscrapers, and as their people found different ways for their lives to be more manageable and comfortable for themselves. However, as with all things, the improvements also held a certain amount of evil for them. It wasn't until the four hundredth year of the universe that the High King and Queen found out that they had absolutely no control over things that happened unnaturally—something that was bound to happen given that the creation of such things were born of the mortals and the mortals themselves. The more modern the world became, the less amount of control the Royal Court had; but this did not mean that the immortals had less power. The magic of the universe still existed, and they were still able to wield it—and this is something that no ordinary human would ever be able to do. As an added form of security though, angels were created as the protectors of the gods—and sometimes, of the humans as well._

_The six hundredth year of the universe is what marked the biggest tragedy in all of time. It was during this period that three gods rebelled against the High Majesties and formed an army of their own—now known as demons. These gods diluted their magic through methods that were far too dark to be spoken of, and this gave them the power to strengthen themselves through the different unnatural happenings that the mortals were responsible for. Since the Royal Court had no control over the said anomalies, they had no other option but to protect their creations against the evil of the Fallen Gods; not that their subjects were ever aware of this. It hurt them that some of their subjects lost their faith in their gods' abilities, especially when tragedy would befall them courtesy of the evil ones, but they refused to inform the people of the existence of the Fallen Gods and their Demon Army. They did not want their people to live in fear. So on went the secret battle._

_It wasn't long before the Fallen Gods grew unsatisfied of the hurt that they were causing the Royal Court. Their hatred of the High King and Queen grew stronger, and they wanted to cause them both unimaginable pain—enough to know that they would be tormented for the rest of their years. So they plotted, and they made the necessary arrangements to separate the two. They took the High Queen away from her love and hid her far away from the Royal Court. The High King was furious, and the universe felt it. For years the world was submerged in despair, and not anything that any of his subjects said or did brought him out of his sadness and anger. During his years of neglect, the universe was seized and controlled by the Fallen Ones, and it wasn't until the High King recovered enough to be aware of this did he begin taking back what was his._

_His Queen remained absent as the war surged between the High Court and the Fallen Ones, but this did not stop the King from succeeding. He believed that if his Queen was out there somewhere, it was his responsibility to make sure that those she created with love will not be suffering until she is able care for them herself once again. With the help of the other gods, he was able to rebuild what he had broken, and the Fallen Ones were imprisoned in the Underworld—where they ruled over death and darkness. Despite the King's strength, it was still not enough for him to relinquish the evil ones' ability to gain strength from the mortals' artificial achievements, but he was able to limit them. From the moment they were imprisoned to this very day, those who have Fallen are only able to sustain their magic through the evil doings of the mortals themselves. _

_The palace was closed to all mortals—except for the ones who had gods' or angels' blood surging through their veins. In an effort to better protect their people, emperors were appointed for each country, and these leaders appointed vassals of their own to watch over the cities. From then on, the gods would only be involved in the mortals' affairs when it was too much for the emperors to handle. However, some emperors grew greedy and desired to control more than what they were given, and the gods had no other choice but to watch their own creations battle against each other for power. The High Ones existed to create and control, but they had no ability to undo what has already been done. _

_Only the City of the Gods remained untouched despite all of the destruction, and it was the one place that the rest of the mortals went to for protection. The gods cared for them as much as they could, but they were only able to do so much. Eventually, the wars died down and the world settled once again. The people scattered to the different countries, while some remained to dwell in the majestic city, forever frozen in its original state. The universe progressed and lived on, and became what we have come to know now. The High King and the Royal Court continued to rule from their palace._

_But the High Queen remained lost._

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>This was the prologue (obviously). I don't really know where I'm going with this yet, so I don't know how many chapters this story will have. I hope you liked it, though.

Let me know what you think!

Cheers!


	2. Like endless rain into a paper cup

**Author's Note: **Of backgrounds and establishments of personalities and the status quo. I sincerely hope that you all enjoy this.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

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><p><strong>Where Light Is Found<br>****Chapter 2**

She'd always been told that she was beautiful.

No matter where she went, it was something that people noticed about her. Some would be brave enough to approach her just to tell her so, but some would opt to simply whisper among themselves to discuss it. She knew it wasn't really something that she should get angry about—it was a compliment after all; but frankly, she was getting so tired of it. It was frustrating to be revered for something that you have no control over. She was smart, she was kind, and she was a whole lot of other things aside from what she looked like.

Aside from that, it was as if her appearance served as some kind of barrier between her and those around her. All her life—or at least, all of the five years that she could remember, she could count the people who have touched her in one hand. It was like no one was brave enough to dare taint what she was. It was stupid, really, how she would see strangers move away from her as soon as they saw her, and while her best friend said that it was incredibly convenient—especially if they were in crowded places, she found it terribly odd; and it was something that she added to her list of abnormalities about herself.

Despite her father's countless reassurances about how she wasn't anything above normal and that she belonged there, she still felt like there was something about her that would never let her fit in. At first she thought it was only normal for her to feel that way since her adoptive father found her lying naked and unconscious in the middle of a field one night with absolutely no memories of who she was or where she came from, but now she's starting to believe that the reason behind her emotions was something else entirely.

She resented the people who abandoned her in that field. After she was well enough to start searching for her past, her and her father found that there were absolutely no reports of a missing twenty-year old woman anywhere in the world; hence their conclusion that she was abandoned. She was told that she was lucky because it was Kamiya Koshijirou who found her and cared for her, and that she was incredibly fortunate to have been separated from the people of her past—people who obviously didn't care about her. Still though, as with any other abandoned and amnesiacs, she was curious about her origins. Sadly, no matter how hard they looked, nothing came up.

So she decided to rebuild herself. With the help of her adoptive father, she worked hard to get herself a degree. Since her IQ levels were high above average and it was apparent that she's had some sort of education before, she managed to get herself into a scholarship program for the arts in the country's top university. She gained herself a friend who was actually able to touch her and be around her, and she ignored the rest of the people who saw her as nothing else but a beautiful woman.

Upon finishing her stay at the university, she was immediately accepted as a curator for their country's most prestigious museum, and she could not have been happier. Just because she hated being called beautiful didn't mean that she didn't want to be surrounded by lovely things. She enjoyed dealing and appreciating various works of art because it made her feel at home, and being among the inanimate objects made her feel like she belonged.

She was especially fond of immersing herself in various pieces about their gods and goddesses. Since the beginning of time, it was these High Beings that cared and watched over the entire universe, and she couldn't help but be awed at what they have created. She was amazed that these creatures who had the ability to wield the magic of what is and what isn't took the time to create and continuously care for the whole world—from the sun and stars in the sky down to the ants that crawled over the earth.

Most of all, she was completely enthralled by the story of their High King and Queen—the first god and goddess. Her heart cried for the High King every time she would hear the story of their tragic romance, and of how the High King was still looking for his love despite her more than one thousand years of absence. The Royal Court has long since given up on her, but the High King refused to let go of his hope that they would be together again one day. It was also because of this that she admired their King above all else—He was obviously broken and lonely, and yet he still had enough willpower to provide for his creations.

_Urbis Deorum _was a place she'd always wanted to visit, but given that it was located halfway around the world from where she was, she never thought it would be possible for her to step foot in it. After all, despite her relatively above-average income, the money that she would need to book a flight and sustain her throughout her stay in the city was still a bit too expensive for her. Still, it was a dream that she always wished would come true. She wanted to see the majesty of the city and of the palace firsthand—even though she knew that she would never be able to enter the palace herself. It was enough for her to be able to admire it from afar, and within the city walls where the structures and environment remained frozen as it was all those years ago.

The city's inhabitants were all aware of the technological advancements. In fact, the gods had no qualms with them bringing in the gadgets and different electrical provisions that have become widespread throughout the world. However, it was of extreme importance that the people didn't alter any of the city's main features.

The vines that adorned the walls of the various structures and the other plants that lived within the city's borders remained untouched, and no matter how much people tried to break down the traditional buildings to replace them with those of more modern designs, the city's buildings would simply rebuild themselves and remain the same. It was one of the things that attracted many tourists to the city—the feeling of being surrounded by magic and of seeing a bit of the gods' favorite time period, when the High Queen still sat on her rightful throne.

"Come on, Kaoru! You can drool over the damn city later. It's lunch time!" her best friend squealed once the two of them stepped out of the bus.

Kaoru smiled at her friend's enthusiasm and let herself be dragged along. She was, after all, extremely grateful to Makimachi Misao for taking her to the majestic city as an early birthday gift. She tried to refuse it at first, but upon the insistence of her father—who helped her save enough pocket money for the trip, she finally relented.

So now here they were, casually walking on the cobblestone paths of the city that seemed to glow with the magic that breathed through its every nook and crevice. The money that they've invested for their travel, she realized, was beyond worth it. It was humbling for her to see that not even the best pieces in her gallery were able to do the place any justice. This city went far beyond what she expected—which, she supposed, was reasonable given that the gods lived right smack in the middle of the town.

As Misao looped her arm through hers to guide her along the slightly crowded streets, she looked up to see the majestic palace that towered over them. Every detail was exquisitely crafted, and the light that shone off of some of its metallic and golden elements gave off the impression that it was glowing. It was something that you would only see in your dreams.

'_My queen'_

"What?" she asked Misao, thinking that she missed something that her friend might've been telling her.

"What what?" Misao said confusedly. She stopped her perusal of the cardboard menu in front of them and looked back at the raven-haired beauty.

Embarrassed, Kaoru shrugged off her earlier question. "Nothing, I thought you said something."

"You must've been talking to yourself again." Misao sighed. "Anyway, can you _please _focus on trying to find something you like? I think I want to eat here, but if you don't want anything we can always look somewhere else."

The curator quickly scanned the menu and smiled when she saw a dish that she liked. What's even better about it was that it fit her meal budget perfectly. "No, I like this place. Let's go get seats."

Misao waved to get one of the waiters' attention and five minutes later, they were led to a small, two-seater round table just outside the establishment. They enjoyed their meal in comfortable silence and took the time to look around their environment. It was so different from what they were used to that they had to think about how they were going to behave during their stay there.

"You think the tingling will stop after a few days?" her best friend asked her, referring to the goosebumps that covered their arms immediately after they entered the city's borders. "It's kinda creeping me out."

Kaoru shrugged. "I don't really know. We've never been around this much magic before. I think we'll eventually get used to it, though."

"Well we better get used to it soon. I don't wanna spend two whole weeks feeling like this. It's… weird."

She hmmed in response and focused on finishing her meal so they can start moving. There was just so much to see and so little time. Every minute counted. When they finally paid for their meal and made sure that all of their bags were well accounted for, they stood up and waited for a carriage—yes, a _carriage_—to take them to the inn that they would be staying in.

It wasn't long before they arrived at their destination and were led to the room that was assigned to them. They laid their bags beside their respective beds and decided to take a quick shower before going out to explore the city.

"Where do you want to go first?" Misao asked as she stepped out of the bathroom. She was towel drying her hair and Kaoru was bemused at how easy it was for her to do so. Misao traded her long locks in favor of a pixie cut so she could donate most of her hair to the charity group that made wigs for cancer patients the year before. Although Kaoru wanted to do the same thing, her father forbade her from doing so, saying that he loved seeing her shiny, dark tresses.

The curator smiled. "Where do you think?"

"Of course. I should've known better than to ask you that." Misao grumbled. "Frankly I'd rather go to a pub or something. Jet lag's going to be a bitch tonight."

"We can go to whatever bar you want tonight. Right now, we're going to the museum." She gave her friend a sardonic once over. "I want to leave in five minutes, so I suggest you get dressed _now_… unless you want to go out in your underwear?"

The tiny woman scoffed, but obediently went to her suitcase to pick out something appropriate to wear. "You don't have to be so damn bossy, you know. The museum's not going to go anywhere."

"I know. But it closes in two hours and I can't—Misao, we _have _to go today!"

Her friend huffed and gave in to Kaoru's coercing, and ten minutes later, they were finally making their way towards the esteemed museum. Their inn was only five blocks away from where they were staying, so they didn't need to wait for a carriage to take them there. Unlike most of the time that the two women were together, it was Kaoru who filled their walk with excited chatter about the pieces that she really wanted to see—leaving Misao to do nothing else but hmm in agreement and watch her best friend talk animatedly about the art that she so admired.

They entered the museum and paid the appropriate entrance fee, choosing to explore the elegant hallways themselves instead of joining the tour group. Kaoru, after all, was extremely knowledgeable about these things and Misao said that she'd rather listen to her friend blabber on and on about the paintings and sculptures rather than listen to some old, batty lady drone about the pieces they were seeing.

'_I'm coming for you, my Queen. Wait for me.'_

Kaoru stopped right in the middle of her spiel when she heard the strange whisper. Immediately, she looked around her to see if there was anyone there that she'd seen before. The voice seemed oddly familiar and honestly, it was creeping the hell out of her.

"Kaoru? What's wrong?" the petite woman in front of her asked worriedly.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

The raven-haired beauty closed her eyes and tried to calm her heavy breathing. "There was… a voice. A whisper."

Misao looked around them and tried to see if there was anyone close enough to whisper to her friend. There were only a small amount of people in the current exhibit they were visiting, and as far as she can see, they were too far away to be in hearing range. Looking back at her disgruntled friend, she said. "I didn't hear anything."

The lights flickered and the soft, classical music that was playing around them stopped. They heard the faint buzzing of conversations among the groups of people around them replace the previously soothing music as they contemplated about what happened. The city had always had a stable source of energy, and it was rare for them to experience something like that—no matter how seemingly insignificant it was since it only happened for a few seconds.

"Okay, you're starting to freak me out here, Kaoru."

'_Wait for me.'_

Her bright sapphire eyes widened in surprise, and she jumped at hearing the strange voice again. "There! Did you hear that?"

Misao was starting to get frightened by Kaoru's odd behavior, and her goosebumps were starting to get worse. Two hours ago, the strange tingling was faint enough for her to ignore. Now, though, it seemed as though her skin was buzzing in anticipation for something that she didn't understand.

"I didn't." the petite woman whispered. "Look, Kaoru. Maybe it's time for us to get out of here, no? We can always come back tomorrow. I think you're just tired from the trip."

Kaoru shook her head in refusal. There were still so many things to see and she'll be damned if she missed anything just because of her brain's annoying concoctions. "No. Let's stay for at least ten more minutes, okay? I really just want to finish this exhibit."

"I really don't think that's a good idea. This place is giving me the creeps."

"Oh don't be such a baby." Kaoru scolded, earning herself a glare from her frazzled friend. "Ten more minutes, and I promise we'll be out of here."

Misao knew that there was no arguing with Kaoru when she was in one of her moods, so she sighed in acquiescence at her friend's command. "Fine. Ten minutes. Then I'm going with or without you."

The curator smiled at being allowed to get her way. Then again, it was something that often happened around her. It wasn't like she was spoiled or anything, though. It was just something she appreciated—although it did make her feel odd at times.

'_Wait for me.'_

Startled at hearing the same voice whisper the _same damn thing_, she jumped as they made their way to the last portrait in the exhibit. She saw Misao glance at her nervously and, not wanting to scare her friend even more than she was already, she decided to just shrug it off.

'_Leave me the hell alone'_ she answered in her head, hoping that whoever was messing with her would just stop.

The exhibit that they were exploring held portraits of the gods and goddesses that ruled over them. However, none of them depicted the actual faces of their powerful leaders. It was something that Kaoru found strangely artistic because while the paintings only held images of the gods' seated bodies, the backgrounds of the respective art pieces showcased the elements that they controlled. The details of each painting were so intricate that it made her wonder what kind of magical hands the artists possessed for them to be able to create such things.

Suddenly, she felt a strange pull that wanted to drag her to the very end of the line of artworks that they were currently perusing. Giving in to the silent tug, she let herself be led to the portrait that was hung away from the others. Her heart seemed to pound after every step she took to bring her closer to the piece, but she told herself it was nothing but excitement for what she was about to see.

The painting was lit by a lone LED display light that hung from the top of the painting, thus emphasizing the dramatic nature of the work of art. Kaoru found it strange that this painting had a plain black background, but she supposed that it was so its viewers could focus on the two hands that were clasped together in the middle of the painting. It was obvious that the hands belonged to two different people with the way that they were oriented, and based on the details that she saw on each of the hands, it was clear that one of them belonged to a man, and the other, a woman. It was a romantic piece and despite its simplicity, the sight of it warmed her heart and made her wish that she could see who the appendages belonged to. What made the piece more beautiful and special, she supposed, were the symbols that were carved into the skin of the two hands. They were intricate, and she knew that the ciphers were supposed to mean something—she could feel it in her bones and niggling at the back of her mind, but she couldn't fully grasp it.

"Okay, woman. Your ten minutes are up. We're out of here." Misao said as she started dragging her friend away from the painting and led her back into the entrance lobby of the museum.

Kaoru sighed and decided to let go of her circling thoughts about the piece of art she just saw in favor of giving her friend all the attention she needed. It was only fair since Misao allowed her the courtesy of staying an extra ten minutes at her request. The two paused at seeing people that were clustered together in the lobby who were obviously talking about something that worried them. Their voices, however, were too soft for the two women to hear, and since they were far too polite to eavesdrop, they decided to let the matter go.

"I wonder what's going on." Kaoru whispered to Misao. "Seems big."

Making sure to keep her voice as low as possible, Misao answered. "I don't know what it is, but frankly I don't want to find out. I'm freaked enough by what happened in there." She steeled herself against her morbid curiosity and decided to at least _try _to enjoy the rest of the evening that they had. "Come on. We're going to the bar by the inn. God knows I need a few drinks to calm the fuck down."

'_I'm coming, love.'_

That was it. She's had enough of that strange fucking whisper. Whoever the hell was messing with her head had to seriously stop, because she did _not _appreciate being made a fool of. She figured that it must've been one of the gods playing a joke on her because of how she looked—people around her did always say that it was only a matter of time before she'd attract the attention of the Higher Beings. They may be gods but they still had rather human characteristics. They were still prone to anger and jealousy—as evidenced by what their High King felt when the High Queen disappeared.

Deciding to pointedly ignore the weird voice, she eagerly allowed Misao to guide her through the throngs of people until they reached the bar that her friend mentioned earlier. If there was anything that was going to help her ignore whatever was happening in her head, Kaoru was quite sure that alcohol was going to do the trick. After all, vodka's never failed her before.

As they walked through the streetlight-lit cobblestone streets, Kaoru couldn't help but feel like she was being watched. The little hairs on the back of her neck rose and her goosebumps grew worse. She took a quick glance behind her when Misao wasn't looking and saw a strange silhouette from the top of the building near them. It wasn't something she could ignore completely, but she forced herself to do so anyway. It would do her and her friend no good if she paid attention to details like that. Besides, it could just be a statue or something that her overactive imagination was dramatizing.

When they arrived at the bar, they were immediately rushed to a booth at the far end of the dimly lit establishment. Once they were seated, they wasted no time in ordering two glasses of Old Fashioned Absolut Bourbon—a rather strong drink that will undoubtedly ease their frazzled nerves.

"It's been one hell of a day, eh?" Misao commented as she took a sip of her drink, slightly wincing at the heat that coursed through her throat after she swallowed.

Kaoru smiled. "I know. I'm starting to think there's more to this city than we think."

"Well, obviously! It's the City of the Gods, for fuck's sake. There's bound to be something weird here. I haven't been around this much magic my entire life, and frankly, I don't think I'll ever want to be anywhere near this place once we leave."

"Don't you think you're overreacting a bit?" the curator teased. "It's still beautiful, regardless of what we feel when we're in it."

"That's what _you _say. You've always had a weird fascination with this place. I, on the other hand, don't understand what's so great about it."

"Be careful of what you say, Ma'am." A male voice interrupted from beside them. The two girls looked up and found a tall man standing before them, holding a tray with two finely crafted Martinis. "The gods might just decide to play a joke on you."

"Yeah, well I think they've played enough of a joke on me already. They're starting to freak me out."

The waiter smiled indulgently at his customer. "You are tourists, then?"

Kaoru nodded. "Yeah. We just got here this afternoon. It's a beautiful city."

"Ah, that must be why. It takes a while to get used to the magic here, but I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy yourselves soon enough." He said kindly. "These are from the men at the end of the bar," he explained as he placed the two drinks on their table before gesturing towards a group of finely dressed and good-looking men who smiled at the two women when they saw that they received the drinks that they sent. "I hope you enjoy them."

"This is what I love about being with you, Kaoru. Free drinks _all the time_." Misao sighed happily.

Their young waiter chuckled and bowed. "I hope you enjoy your stay in _Urbis Deorum. _Please know that you are welcome here."

The curator smiled at their server one last time and watched him step away from their table. For some reason, despite what they've experienced during that day, she couldn't deny what the waiter said to them. She _did _feel welcome in this city, and she couldn't wait to get a chance to explore it more come morning.

The rest of their stay in the bar went smoothly after that. They were given a couple more drinks by random patrons, and they smiled indulgently at their gift-givers whenever they would receive the beverages. The amount of attention that they were receiving wasn't really new to Kaoru and Misao. She's had years to get used to it, and despite their admiration, they were never approached by any of the men anyway. No harm, no foul.

At around 11:30 PM, the two women decided to finally call it a night and make their way back to the inn to get a good night's rest. They were nowhere near drunk, but the alcohol managed to smooth over their rather disgruntled emotions.

It was when they turned a street corner that Kaoru felt the odd sensation of being watched again. At first, she pushed the nagging feeling away and focused on each step that she took towards their inn. However, when she saw a shadow zoom by her peripheral vision, she stopped and turned around quickly to see if there was anyone there.

"Kaoru?" Misao called worriedly. She was a few steps away from the raven-haired curator, but she stopped and turned towards her friend when she heard her clothes rustle unexpectedly.

Kaoru looked up and around her, feeling a bit afraid of what she would see once she found the source of the shadow.

'_There_.' She thought to herself when she found the tall silhouette standing atop one of the rooftops of the buildings around them. The shadow was shaped like an ordinary barn owl, but what scared her about it was that it was easily ten times the size of normal owls and, forgive her if she was hallucinating, but its eyes were glowing as it stared right at her—piercing her right through her soul.

The shadow moved and Kaoru saw its wings flutter as it flew across the sky. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that it wasn't going anywhere near them, and took the chance to reassure her once again worried friend. "It was nothing. I just saw something weird."

With a shaky voice, Misao asked. "What now? First the voices, and now you're seeing things? God, Kaoru. I think this place isn't doing you any good."

"It was just an owl." Kaoru explained. "Nothing to be worried about. Now come on, let's go. Maybe this is all just from the jetlag."

Having no other choice but to follow after her raven-haired friend, the petite woman bit her tongue as they walked closer to the inn.

'_Come, my love.'_

Everything stopped when a huge figure plopped down right in front of them, its wings spread wide as it gracefully landed. The two women watched as the owl-shaped creature was surrounded in swirls of bright, blue light while a sudden gust of wind blew around them harshly, making them stumble into each other.

When Kaoru and Misao opened their eyes, they were almost blinded by the brilliance of the glow that surrounded the winged man that bowed low in front of them. His wings remained spread wide as he held his respectful pose, thus emitting enough light to cover the whole street.

The two immensely frightened women took a couple of steps away from the creature and were planning to run as fast as they could to get away from where they were when the strange being spoke.

"Forgive the impertinence, my Queen." He said as he looked up and locked his bright hazel eyes with Kaoru with a gentle smile on his face. He stood and made to walk towards the two women who were too scared to move or look away from him.

Before either of them could even blink, Kaoru felt a strong blast of wind push her towards the now standing man before she was submerged in complete and utter darkness.

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><p>The next thing she saw was the gentle glow of the stars that glimmered against the dark blanket of the night sky.<p>

She felt strong arms carrying her across what seemed like a stone surface based on the sounds that she could hear as the man's feet padded across the floor, and she could hear the pounding of the man's heart as her head rested itself on his chest. She was scared out of her wits now, and she had no idea what was going on. What the hell was happening and who the _fuck _was carrying her?

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again to look at the face of the man who was responsible for her abduction. Amazement and awe filled her as she observed the features of the being that was carrying her. His jaw was well-defined, and a gentle smile was spread across his graceful lips. His hazel eyes remained bright as he took step after step further into wherever they were, and her breath caught when his gaze locked down on hers.

"Welcome home, Majesty." He greeted warmly.

Confused and bewildered at being addressed so reverently, she stammered. "W-what?"

The man set her down on her feet in the middle of a vast and elegantly decorated room. The ceiling was transparent, which explained the sight that she saw earlier, but the room itself had a warm hue that came from its cream walls that were adorned with different gold and silver decorations. Velvet tapestries hung from the floor to ceiling windows that were built on one side of the large room, and when she looked around her, she saw two finely crafted cushioned seats that were placed on a golden platform.

She felt awkward and inadequate as she stood there, as though her meager appearance didn't even deserve to be in the presence of such beauty. Never had she seen a room as grand as the one she was in, so she couldn't have helped the gasp that left her mouth any more than the loud pounding of her heart.

The man stood behind her and watched her reactions amusedly as she took in every detail of the room she was in. When he noticed that she finally got a hold of herself, he chuckled. "You must've missed this place eh, Missy?"

It was obvious that she forgot he was even in the room with her when she spun harshly on her heels to face him. Now that the light blue glow that he exuded was gone, she was finally able to take in his full appearance. His dark brown hair stood in disarray on the top of his head, and his hazel eyes were filled with amusement as he watched her observe him. His otherwise strong features were softened by the same gentle smile that she saw earlier, and she watched the steady rise and fall of his toned chest as he stood with his arms crossed. He was dressed in an elegantly made cream tunic and brown trousers, and his feet were hidden in a pair of leather boots.

"He's coming." The man said gently, effectively breaking her out of her reverie.

She cleared her throat and tried to lessen the shakiness of her voice as she replied. "Sorry, but w—who's coming?"

The man chuckled. "His Highness, of course! I gotta tell ya, little Missy, I was starting to think we were never gonna find you. I promised myself that was gonna be the last time I was ever gonna let His Highness bully me into following another one 'a his strange feelings." He winked at her. "Can't say I regret it. Glad to have you back."

Kaoru didn't understand what was happening, nor did she know anything about who the man before her was. She thought hard about when she could've possibly interacted with someone like him, but her head started to pound unbearably the longer that she thought about it.

"I'm sorry." She said as she pinched the bridge of her nose to try to lessen the pain that was blossoming in her head. "I'm sorry, but I don't really know what's going on."

She saw the man's face grow confused when he heard her comment, and watched as his arms fell to his sides. "Missy? Do—do you know who I am?"

"Am I supposed to?" she asked quietly.

He was about to respond when the large, wooden doors located at the end of the room slammed against the wall when they were opened. For the second time that night, she stumbled at the huge gust of wind that blew around her, making her turn around to see what the source of the ruckus was. Her eyes widened when she saw a large lion step into the room and walk hurriedly towards her—as though it was coming after its prey. When it was a few steps away from her, the animal was suddenly engulfed in bright swirls of golden light, and she watched as it—like the man who abducted her—transformed into the figure of a man.

For someone who could turn into a lion that was as tall as a human, the man was relatively petite. He was about a head taller than her, and his body was lean compared to the muscled physique of the man who was standing behind her. His auburn hair was held back by a neat ponytail that rested high on the back of his head, and his piercing amber eyes made her shiver once they were locked on hers. A cross-shaped scar was engraved on his left cheek, which gave him an air of danger and mystery. He had a sword that hung lightly by his right hip, and as he strode towards her with purpose, her fear was replaced by an unexplainable feeling of security and immense warmth that made her skin tingle in anticipation for his touch.

Once he reached her, he wasted no time in wrapping her in his arms and breathing in her scent as he tucked his face into her neck. She couldn't explain why her arms went around his lithe form, nor could she explain the name that burst from her lips in a soft whisper.

"Kenshin." She muttered.

The auburn-haired man's arms tightened around her and she felt him sigh at the sound of her voice. They stayed like that for a few moments before the man pulled away from her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I have missed you, my Queen." He said sincerely as his eyes locked on hers once again, his arms still locked around her in a gentle embrace.

She watched his amber eyes fade from its intimidating hue to a deep shade of violet, and tried to decipher the intense feelings behind his purple orbs.

She wanted to ask him about what was going on, but the searing pain that exploded in her head made her push away from him so she could try to quell the agony that she was feeling. She heard herself scream, and briefly saw the worried look of the redhead in front of her.

Darkness shrouded her vision, dragging her from her consciousness so she could rest in its cold arms. She welcomed it, let herself be surrounded by it, and she slept.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Well… there you go. I know it seems a bit clichéd, but this is just something that I enjoy writing to immerse myself in a light story. I'm happy to tell you all that after I finished this chapter, I got the inspiration and drive to write the next chapter for **It Is What It Is**.

Still, I'm excited to hear what you think about this!

Cheers!


	3. They slither wildly as they slip away

**Author's Note: **I had to re-write this chapter a couple of times because I wasn't really happy with the flow of my first two tries. Anyway, here it goes. I hope you like it.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

* * *

><p><strong>Where Light Is Found<br>****Chapter 3**

It was dark when she opened her eyes again.

It wasn't as dark as when she was abducted by the winged creature thanks to the warm balls of light that floated around her, keeping the room dim enough to be conducive for sleep, but comfortable enough to move around in should one of its occupants be awake. As she braced herself up using her elbows, she took the chance to slowly take in her surroundings in an effort to try to figure out where she was.

She realized that she was currently laid out on what's probably the most comfortable bed that she has ever been on, with a warm blanket covering her prone form. The room was a bit chilly, but not uncomfortably so, and this gave her the encouragement to sit up and push the cloth that was covering her down to her waist. She was surprised when she found that she was changed out of the clothes that she wore earlier and into a silk nightgown that ended just above her knees and had a gartered top so the sleeves flowed down her arms but left her shoulders bare. She blushed when she thought about who was responsible for doing so, and she sincerely hoped that it wasn't one of the strange creatures that she saw. Her hair was neatly braided, and she felt so clean that she felt like she wouldn't have to bathe in a week regardless of how strenuous the activities she'd be involving herself in would be.

She pushed back the thin, white curtains that hung around the large bed that she was in and was immediately engulfed in awe—yet again—when she saw that the room she was in seemed like it was floating on a cloud. Instead of walls, huge glass panels that showcased nothing else but the starry night sky around them served as their barrier from the outside world. The room was obviously somewhere high above the earth since she couldn't see any of the lights that usually flickered from the buildings that surrounded her wherever she went. The floor was made out of the finest white carpet that she'd ever seen and she was enthralled at the number of light orange orbs that floated around the room to help her see her surroundings better.

The mattress that she was on was held up by a beautiful oak frame, and when she got a chance to look at the headboard, she noticed the intricate details and carvings that were embedded on the polished wood. A set of large, deep blue couches sat clustered beside one of the floor-to-ceiling windows, and an elegant coffee table that seemed to be made of dark oak and ribbons of white gold was placed in the middle of the pieces of furniture. As opposed to being closed to offer the room's inhabitants with privacy for the night, the heavy navy blue drapes with silver trimmings that hung above the windows were parted to give the occupants a perfect view of the sky that seemingly surrounded the room.

"Forgive me for asking, but you are certain that she is your Queen, my King?" she heard an unfamiliar female voice speak from somewhere outside of the room.

Her previously bleary eyes that were heavy laden with sleep opened wide upon hearing the voice. She tried looking around her to find a door so she could step out and ask the many questions that were now popping into her head, but she couldn't find one—and this scared her. Were the gods that upset with her to lock her in a room with no chance of escape? What had she done, anyway?

She normally wouldn't have been inclined to believing that she would ever be in contact with the Higher Beings, but how else could she explain the things she witnessed that night? Besides, it was clear that no ordinary person would ever be able to create a room as majestic and beautiful as the one that she was in.

She pulled her knees up to her chest and tried to run through everything that she'd seen ever since she was taken away from Misao. So far, she'd only been in contact with two celestial beings—her captor, and the red-haired god who was apparently the High King.

"You are questioning my decision, then?" she heard the High King say stonily. "You are questioning my ability to recognize _my _Queen?"

The unknown woman sighed. "I only worry for you, Highness. I was there when it happened after all."

Obviously, whatever the _'it'_ was that she was talking about had a huge impact on the intimidating man, because even he fell silent for a couple of minutes as he thought about what to say next. "She is my Queen, Megumi." He said after a long pause. "You would do well to respect her as such, regardless of your doubts."

Whatever the woman called 'Megumi' was about to say next was cut off by the rustling of clothes and the light caress of the wind that surrounded them as the man that she assumed was the High King entered through a set of doors that she realized were outlined on the far right corner of the room. She blinked owlishly at him and she saw his eyes change from the intimidating amber that she saw earlier into the more comforting deep violet that she seemed to recognize as he moved closer to where she was.

"You're awake." He said warmly, a loving smile creeping onto his face as he took in her surprised form.

He was dressed comfortably in a soft, cotton tunic and a pair of gray sleep pants. His hair was tied in a low ponytail that rested on the nape of his neck, and his feet were bare as he made his way over to her. She followed his every movement with her sapphire eyes, but it wasn't until he was a few steps away when a light bulb suddenly blinked on in her head.

'_Fucking hell, it's the High King himself!' _she thought before scrambling to her feet and giving the redheaded god the lowest bow that she could muster. Modesty be damned, but respect for the Highest Being in the world _had _to come first.

She willed her voice to not shake as she spoke. "Forgive me, Highness." She said clearly. "I mean no disrespect. I know my appearance and the way I acted earlier may say otherwise, but please know that it will never happen again should we interact in the future. I beg for your understanding."

She saw him pause and heard him give a longsuffering sigh. As curious as she was, she knew better than to rise without having been addressed by the Higher Being. She didn't have to wait long, however, as the High King spoke a few seconds later.

"There is need for that here, my lady." He said gently. She jumped when she felt his warm hands grasp her shoulders and pull her up to her full height. He held her at arm's length and looked searchingly into her confused and slightly wary sapphire orbs. "Kaoru," he said softly, as if testing the sound of the word on his tongue after years of not being used. "Kaoru, do you remember me?"

Unsure of how to act around him, she shook her head silently. The fact that he was actually able and willing to touch her made her eyes widen in surprise, but she didn't pull away. Aside from the fact that it would've been highly disrespectful to do so, she also felt a bit strange since the moment that his skin made contact with hers, she felt nothing else but safe and her heart surged with a feeling of belongingness and of _home_.

His searching gaze continued to be locked on hers and for a moment, she wondered about what he could possibly be looking for. What did he want from her?

Since he still wasn't talking, she took the chance to voice out her wariness of the current situation. She still didn't know where she was, and she didn't know what she was there for. Had she done something wrong?

"If I may, Majesty," she began. He was a bit startled at the sound of her voice, but he gave her a kind, reassuring nod once he was able to recover. "Forgive me, but I don't think I understand what's going on. Where—where am I?"

He smiled and let go of her shoulders. He led them both to the plush couches and made sure they were both settled comfortably before he spoke again. "We are in the center of _Urbis Deorum_. You are home, Kaoru. The moment that Sanosuke brought you back into the castle, all of our gardens bloomed back into life. Even they are rejoicing because of your return."

"I'm sorry, what? I don't—I think you… sorry, the castle? As in the castle that sits right in the middle of the City of the Gods?"

He nodded, and her brows furrowed heavily in response. "Aren't gods and angels the only creatures allowed there—I mean, here? And who the hell's Sanosuke?" She paused and backpedaled the moment she realized that her question was _extremely _rude. "Forgive me, Majesty." She apologized with a bowed head. "What I meant to say was, who, if I may ask, is Sanosuke?"

The High King chuckled at her nervous behavior. "You have changed, Kaoru, but please, remember that there is no need for formalities between us. You may speak however you wish." She nodded, but the controlled expression on her face made him believe that that will not be the last time that he will be reminding her of that. She was still waiting for him to answer her questions, so he sighed. "What do you know of me, Kaoru?"

"I know that you're the High King," she answered stiffly. "The most powerful being and the creator of the universe."

He nodded, and she took it as a sign for her to continue. "You and the High Queen created the gods, the angels, the world and everything in it, and eventually, us mortals." She paused and thought about what else she remembered about him. "You've been guarding us since the beginning of time, but more so when the Fallen Ones have started their vendetta against you and the High Queen. Eventually, the Fallen Ones got hold of the High Queen, and she hasn't been seen since then. You've been looking for her, but you haven't been able to find her."

She tried thinking harder to see if she missed anything relevant about his history that was somehow related to why she was here now, but the pain she felt earlier burst violently in her head once again. Unable to control herself, she whimpered as she grasped her head tightly and tried to claw the pain away. Everything around her disappeared and the only thing she could focus on at the moment was the sickening feeling of a thousand screws being driven into her brain slowly before being taken out and pushed back in again.

The King was surprised at her sudden movements, but wasted no time in moving closer to where she huddled herself into a tight ball and laid his hands on her head. She saw a faint orange glow from behind her eyelids, and immediately the creeping pain in her skull eased until it disappeared. She wasn't sure how long she remained in that position, but eventually she let out a long breath as she released the tension from her tightly wound limbs and raised her head to look at the High King.

"What—what was that?" she gasped.

He ignored her question as he stared intently at her once again, his hands still hovering over her head as he stood over her. "I need you to try to remember me again, Kaoru. Try to think if you've seen any of the things around you before, or if you've interacted with any of the gods in this city."

Honestly, she didn't want to do it. It wasn't until the request was made of her that she realized that that was exactly what was causing the pain in her head, and she didn't want to have to go through it again. "But—"

"Trust me." He said firmly.

She sighed and nodded, closing her eyes so she can focus better as she thought. This time, instead of the pain she expected, she saw nothing but darkness in her head. It wasn't that she couldn't remember anything, or that she really did know nothing about what he was talking about… there was just nothing. It was like she was in a black hole and she was screaming her question again and again, but there was no one and nothing there to help her get the answers she was seeking. It was an empty feeling, and it felt like if she forced herself to keep trying, she'd be sucked into the emptiness completely. It frightened her.

She forced her eyes open and she was momentarily blinded by all the lights and colors that assaulted her line of sight. "What did you do to me?" she hissed while she waited for her eyes to adjust.

The redheaded god gave her a grim look before sitting down on the couch adjacent to her once again. "I took away the pain you were feeling." He explained. "But I'm afraid that's all I could do against the shields that were placed on you. From what I understand—"

"What shields?" she interrupted. Things were getting too weird for her now and she _really _just wanted to get the hell out of that place.

"There were shields placed in your mind, Kaoru. That's why you can't remember any of the things around you—why you can't remember me. Mind shields are a very powerful form of magic, and even we don't have the power to reverse them that easily." He paused. "I will help you learn everything that you've forgotten. Sadly, this includes the knowledge you need to wield and control the magic that you hold. It's—"

"Stop. Hold on." She commanded. "You're losing me. I have no fucking clue about any of the things you just talked about. Magic? Shields? What are—" She took a deep breath before continuing. "Look, I don't know about any of this shield business, but I've been diagnosed with amnesia when my father found me five years ago. If you're telling me that it's not amnesia and this thing in my head is what's preventing me from remembering anything then fine, let's find a way to take it out then. But magic? Sorry, Highness, but I've been living in _Cidade Beleza_ for the past five years. I'm a curator in an art gallery for heaven's sake. As far as I know, the only people with magic from where I'm from are the emperor and governors, and I'm in no way related to them. I'm as mortal as you can get."

He listened patiently as he spoke, but his eyes spoke volumes of how he was feeling. His warm purple orbs were starting to get tinged with amber specks, and she didn't know what it meant but she was a bit sure that she didn't want to know. "My magic does not lie, Kaoru. I want you to think hard on what you've experienced. Surely there have been things that have happened around you that don't happen to the other mortals."

"I don't know, okay?!" she exclaimed, pushing herself up so she could pace in front of the still and commanding god.

He sighed again and crossed his legs in front of him. His Queen was confused and upset, and although he missed having to deal with her passionate self, he knew that he needed to get her to calm down before anything bad happened. "Tell me this then, my lady." He waited for her to lock her gaze with his before he continued. "Has anyone ever been able to touch you before you came here? Have any of the other mortals accidentally _bumped _into you, or shoved you, or anything of the sort?"

"Of course they have!" At his scolding look, she paused to think about what he said more carefully. Dread started to blossom in her chest as she thought.

Understanding filled his features and he probed her further. "How many people have been able to touch you, Kaoru?"

"Two." She gasped with her eyes wide in fright. "But that doesn't mean anything, I've just been—"

"The world reacts to you whether you know it or not—the skies, the earth, everything. You may not have noticed it, but everything around you has been protecting you for as long as you've been missing from us."

"Missing? What do you mean?"

He stood and walked towards her, but she took one step back for every step that he took. He studied her closely before softly saying, "You've been missing from us for over a thousand years now, my Queen."

"What?" she choked. Suddenly, as if it was her own voice that triggered it this time, the emptiness was back again. It was pulling her in and she was trying her best to control it and to hold onto the reality that was before her so she wouldn't be sucked in. She didn't want to lose herself and she had a feeling that if she let whatever it was drown her, that's exactly what would happen. "I don't—I don't understand you."

"Kaoru, please—"

"No, wait." She raised her palm to signal him to stop. The darkness was pulling her in even harder now, and she wavered on her feet as she tried to keep herself upright. She had to get him to stop talking so she could focus on her task of protecting herself—which was getting harder and harder as every second ticked by.

As she struggled, the room was suddenly filled with strong gusts of wind that blew in every direction, making everything in the area shake and struggle against the sudden force that was dragging them this way and that. The warm balls of light that flew innocently around them suddenly started spinning around and around, and if Kenshin were any lesser being, he would've grown dizzy at the sight. The glass windows shook and creaked as the wind grew stronger and stronger and even the god himself was starting to have trouble with remaining upright.

Kaoru barely noticed any of the things that was happening around her. At that moment, all she cared about was trying to stay grounded and to not be dragged away by the dark tide that was rising higher and higher in her head. Her eyes were shut tight and her hands were clenched so hard that they were starting to draw blood, but she refused to give in. Her breathing was erratic now, and so was her heartbeat. She felt like she was having a heart attack, or a stroke, or any other life-threatening internal disease. Although she felt no pain, the wooziness that coursed through her was getting stronger and she didn't know how to stop it.

"Open your eyes, Kaoru."

Her skin tingled as warmth started to crawl up her system. Bright blue light shone brightly from behind her closed lids and she was thankful for whatever it was because it was helping her keep the darkness at bay.

"Kaoru." The High King called again.

The darkness was creeping away from her now, but it wasn't completely gone yet so she refused to open her eyes. If keeping them closed was what was protecting her from the darkness, then she'll be damned if she opened her sapphire orbs ever again.

"Open your eyes."

Another moment passed before she felt her legs stop shaking. Her breathing was still harsh and heavy against her chest, and her skin still tingled with warmth. The blinding blue light that shone earlier simmered down into a faint glow, and the darkness wasn't as frightening as it was earlier. It was then that she processed the command that the High King was giving her, as well as the tone that he used. Respect won over fear and she did as she was told.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she wished that she didn't. Sensation after sensation flooded her as she regained awareness of her surroundings and she saw rather than felt the harsh wind that was blowing around her. She saw the orbs of light spinning around her and the High King so fast that it made her dizzy. The wind was shoving the different furniture in the room around, and she could hear its whistle blowing in her ear. What frightened her though, was the fact that although there was a hurricane happening right before her very eyes, she couldn't feel any of it. She stood steady and stable, and not even her hair was getting disheveled by the violent wind.

Her King glowed a bright gold before her, and she realized that it was the glow of the warm light that was protecting him from the strength of the tornado that was surrounding them. The light, she realized, came from the runes that were seemingly carved into his skin—runes that were not there when they were talking earlier. She had no idea what the symbols meant, but she knew they must've been powerful because she's never heard of any other god having anything like what she was seeing from the King.

She was _shit _scared now, and she was worried that she might have offended the god beyond any point of forgiveness. She called on all of her self-control and bowed her head, but what she saw made her gasp and panic again.

Her skin was _glowing_, but as opposed to the King's gold, the light that shone from the same runes that were etched onto her skin was bright blue. The symbols were _everywhere_—her arms, her legs, her hands, and she knew that they were also on the parts of her skin that were covered by the silk nightgown because she could see the faint outlines of glowing runes from outside the thin cloth.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing to me?" She hissed. Her heart pounded painfully against her chest and the warmth was still spreading deeper and deeper into her body. She was trying to rub and claw the symbols out of her skin, but they wouldn't go away. Tears were starting to prick the back of her eyes.

The wind blew even harder around them, and all of the windows all broke and crashed as she struggled.

"Calm down, Kaoru!" the King commanded over the noise. He tried moving towards her, but she shoved him back.

"No!" she screamed, refusing to look at him as she scratched at her skin again and again. "Don't you fucking dare touch me! Stop this! Get these things off me!"

"You have to—"

"How the fuck do you expect me to be calm?! You gods think you can do anything to me—you think you can just pull me out of my life and for what?! To fuck around with me? Drive me crazy?!" She gasped. "I need to get back to Misao. I—I have to go back because she's looking for me and—and I need to call my father and—just stop! Stop!"

Kenshin's eyes burned a bright amber as he stared into her previously sapphire orbs. The maelstrom of emotions that was barraging her system was driving her magic haywire. Her frantic eyes were a violent shade of silver and he knew that if he didn't put a stop to this soon, she would crash.

"Enough!" He screamed, his voice strong and firm. The room stilled, and all of the things that were being dragged by the wind froze. The glass shards from the broken windows hung motionlessly in the air, and everything around them fell silent. It was like they were both floating in the middle of a frozen world.

Kenshin grabbed his love's hands and squeezed them forcefully to get her attention, effectively stopping her from injuring herself any more than she already has. "Look at me, Kaoru."

She shook her head and kept her head bowed. Her tears were rushing down her face now and his chest constricted painfully at the sight of them. "Please, Kaoru." When she remained stubborn, he pulled her into him and held her as tight as he could, forcing his warmth into her to get her to calm down.

They remained like that for a few minutes, and he waited until the harsh light that emanated from the runes on their skin simmered down into a faint glow that spread inches from their bodies. The room was still frozen and silent, which made her sobs seem louder than they were. He took a deep breath and got a hold of his magic, silently commanding it to put everything back in its proper place. As he held her, he watched the windows repair themselves and the furniture float back into their original positions.

He brought one of his hands down to her back to rub circular motions against it. It was something that he'd always done before to get her to calm down, and he sighed in relief when he realized that it still worked. Her breathing was starting to slow, and he could feel her leaning more of his weight against him.

"Say my name, Kaoru." He whispered into her hair.

She shook her head. "I don't—I don't know what it is."

"You do, my love. Only you know my name. Say it, please." He continued. "You are my Queen and you know me. I know you do. Think, love."

She was silent for a while and he was worried that her previous display of power finally took its toll on her body. So when she heard her soft whisper, he was surprised—but that did not take away any amount of the pleasure he felt.

"Kenshin." She breathed.

He shivered at the feeling of her warm breath ghosting against his neck, and he gave her one last affectionate squeeze before bending down to hook one of his arms under her knees.

"What are you—" she gasped when she felt herself being carried. Her eyes grew wide with shock at the sudden motion, and she stared up at the King's face with trepidation.

He looked down at her, his eyes still a bright amber but fading down into a softer shade of violet. "Hush, my love. You have been through a lot tonight. We'll talk more of this tomorrow, but we both need to rest now."

"I still—"

"I know." He smiled. "I promise to answer everything tomorrow. For now, we rest."

The sheets rose and folded down at their feet as Kenshin settled Kaoru back onto the bed before crawling in himself. He pulled her to him and tucked her head under his chin before he willed the warm comforter to cover them.

She was tense in his embrace, and he knew she was consciously fighting the warmth and comfort that his aura was sending into hers. "What are you—why am I—" She stammered.

"Forgive me, Kaoru." He whispered. "I know you're uncomfortable right now, and I know you're confused, but I—" he sighed. "It's been more than a thousand years since I last held you in my arms and I'm afraid I can't—I need you, Kaoru. I need you by my side." He said sadly. "Please, stay with me."

Reluctantly, she nodded and subconsciously accepted the comfort that he was offering her. She tucked herself closer to him and brought her arms up to hold him back. She felt him sigh and place a gentle kiss on the crown of her head and she closed her eyes to relish the feeling of being cherished.

It wasn't long before his calm breathing and his soft reassurances lulled her to sleep.

* * *

><p>When she woke up, she was engulfed in overwhelming feelings of peace, warmth, comfort, calm, and belongingness. The smile that crawled onto her face was more than welcome as she basked in the feeling of how right this all felt. Of her five years of existence, this is the first time that she felt like she was right where she was supposed to be.<p>

However, all of those feelings were overshadowed by the surprise she felt when she tried to stretch her arms. She was laying against something firm and warm and—wait, did it just move?

Her eyes shot open in shock and she took a deep breath to stop herself from jumping up in a blind panic. It took her a moment to process where she was and why she was there, and when her brain was finally stable enough to actually _think_, she was reminded of all of the events that led up to that morning. She sighed and gently pushed herself up to look at the face of the god who was cradling her against him.

Kenshin's long red hair was braided, which kept most of the long strands away from their faces as they slept. His bangs were swept to the side, leaving the rest of his face completely open for her perusal. The gentle brightness of the morning light made some of the harshness that he showed the night before fade into nothing but a mere memory, and as he slept, his face remained free of the creases and wrinkles that would've otherwise marred his gentle features. He was tan, and her eyes trailed down from his red lashes to his sharp nose and soft lips. His left cheek bore a cross-shaped scar that she didn't know the origin of, but aside from that, he looked so _innocent _that she found it hard to believe that it was this man—this god, who protected the entire universe all these years.

'_He looks so young'_, she thought as she continued to admire his features. She watched as a smile slowly appeared on his face at the same time that his eyes drifted open.

"Good morning, my Queen." He greeted softly.

Embarrassed at being caught watching him sleep, she pushed herself off of him and hastily untangled her legs from his. She heard him chuckle from behind her, and felt him gently coax her back to his side.

"I missed waking up next to you, Kaoru." He murmured into her hair, making goosebumps rise along her arms as she felt his breath tickle the skin on her neck. "And I look forward to doing so every morning from now on."

She tensed at his admission and tried to pull herself away, but his arms refused to let up. "Let go of me," she requested gently.

"Just a few more moments, please. Calm down, Kaoru. You know I won't hurt you." He sighed.

The odd thing was that she _did _know that he won't hurt her, and she somehow felt that he _did _miss waking up next to her. Taking a deep breath, she got herself to relax in his arms and to just enjoy the feeling of being held. As far as she remembers, she'd never been held before and she has to admit that it's nice to be cherished in such a way.

"I know you have a lot of questions." He said after a while. "And I promised you last night that I would answer as much of them as I can this morning."

"You did." She agreed.

He brought one of his hands up to caress her hair. "Would it be alright if we talked after breakfast, my lady? I think it would help us both grab hold of our bearings. The conversation we will be having is… difficult, and it will take a lot of strength and focus for us to get through it."

She lifted her head to look into his purple orbs to gauge if he was being sincere or if he was just trying to avoid the topic. When she saw that it was the former, she nodded.

He smiled and kissed her gently on her forehead before giving her another gentle squeeze. He let her go then, and sat up on the bed before willing the sheets to move off of them so they could stand. He took Kaoru's hand in his and led her to the doors at the corner of the room.

She gasped when she glanced back at the bed and saw the sheets and the pillows floating around and placing themselves back into what she assumed were their original positions. When she looked back in front of her, she saw Kenshin giving her an amused look, but he wisely chose to say nothing when she glared up at him.

The room that lay beyond the double doors was nothing short of regal. Floor-to-ceiling windows also adorned the walls, but they were only built on two sides of the room as opposed to their bedroom's four. The other two sides were covered by bookshelves that were filled with neatly stacked books and other small trinkets that twinkled merrily in the morning light. A set of plush, cream-colored couches were placed around a large fireplace that was embedded in the middle of the right wall, where it was flanked by two oak shelves.

The rest of the room was bathed in soft hues of cream, brown, and gold—which were made more beautiful by the morning light that shone from the two large windows. It was beautiful, and once again, she felt insignificant as she stepped into it with bare feet and wearing nothing but a silk shift.

Kenshin led her to one of the large sofas and crouched before her sitting form. "There are some things I must attend to, Kaoru." He started, "but I will be back as soon as I can. I will ask for your breakfast to be brought here since I assume that you are still not up to meeting the members of your court?"

She shook her head. "Kenshin, I can barely wrap my head around the idea of being your queen. So I really doubt that I won't go crazy if you shove me in front of the other gods."

"I thought so." He chuckled. He rose and placed another soft kiss on the crown of her head. "I'll be back soon."

She nodded and watched him walk away from her. She gasped again when she saw his hair moving of its own accord and shifting itself to form a tight ponytail that rested high on the back of his head, and his clothes were changed from the soft tunic and breeches that he wore the night before to a pair of dark slacks and a white button-up shirt. He threw her one last smile before he opened the doors and left her by herself.

She laid down on the couch and stared up at the high ceiling when she was sure that she was by herself. _'What the hell did I get myself into'_, she thought morosely. She still couldn't understand anything that was happening, but the rest that she got the night before at least got her to stop panicking and making a fool out of herself.

So far, everything that Kenshin was telling her seemed so absurd and out of this world that she started to think that maybe he was just fucking around with her. But then, she was reminded of the things that he mentioned and the things that she saw the night before—the fact that she hasn't been touched by more than two people while she was still in _Cedade Beleza_, the runes that glowed from her skin, and the turbulence that surrounded them while she dealt with the barrage of emotions that flooded through her system.

As she thought, she also started to remember the different items on the list of oddities that she made of herself. She remembered how it seemed weird that no one could really say no to her or deny her anything when she was still on earth, of how only a few people could really call her by her name—the others often called her by 'Miss', or 'Ma'am', or other titles of the sort; she remembered thinking that she must've had a weird connection with the sky since the weather _always _seemed to match her mood. There were a lot of other things that she couldn't explain back then, but if she put them against Kenshin's argument—that she _is _the High Queen, it all seemed to fit, but at the same time… not.

It might've been because of her belief that she _couldn't possibly _be the High Queen, or it might've been because of the logic that was ingrained into her system during her years in the University, but continuing to process everything that she'd learned so far was starting to make her head hurt.

She groaned and covered her face with her hands before giving a little shout of frustration—which, much to her dismay, made the books and trinkets around her shudder and shake.

"Are you alright, Highness?"

She sat up in surprise and looked around for the source of the soft, feminine voice that broke the silence of the room. When her eyes landed on the half-open door, she saw a meek-looking young girl standing by the entrance, holding a tray of fresh fruits and juice.

Blushing at being caught in such a state, Kaoru called. "Yes, I—I'm okay." The little girl seemed nervous, so she pushed a gentle smile onto her face before saying, "Come in, lovely girl. Don't be afraid."

The girl smiled and walked towards her, giving her a bow as she entered and another bow as she placed the tray of food on the table in front of her.

"What's your name?" Kaoru asked softly, making sure to keep the smile on her face as she locked her gaze with the girl's.

"Tsubame, Highness." She answered meekly. "If I may, Majesty, I just—"

"Go ahead, Tsubame."

"I'm very glad to see you again, Majesty. It has been a long time." She continued sincerely. There were a few tears that were threatening to trickle down her face, but Tsubame stubbornly held them back.

Kaoru smiled before sighing. "Thank you. I'm sure a lot of other people will be saying so as well."

"Is there anything wrong, Majesty? Did you not wish to return here?"

"It's not that, love." She said softly. "I'm just a bit confused right now. The King says that there's something blocking my memories so I'm afraid I can't really remember much of my life here—if I did live here before."

"Majesty!" Tsubame exclaimed. "Please don't doubt that you are our Queen. None of us would ever be able to forget your face, my Queen, and you hold the same light that you did all those years ago. We really are very glad that you have returned, and although it saddens me that you couldn't remember us, I, personally, will do everything that I could to help you recover."

"Thank you." Kaoru said with a smile. "I look forward to seeing more of you, then." When she saw the girl blush, she decided to direct the conversation to other matters. "This is a lot of food, Tsubame. Would you mind joining me for breakfast? I'm afraid I might not be able to finish it and I really don't want any of this to go to waste."

The girl bowed. "Are you sure, Majesty?"

"Of course, lovely girl. Please, sit." She gestured to the seat adjacent to hers.

Tsubame bowed low once more before accepting the offer with a weak, "If it pleases you, Highness. Thank you very much."

They picked at the different pieces of fruit on the tray, enjoying the quietness of their surroundings as they savored the delicious flavors of each piece of fruit that they ate. Kaoru thinks that they might've continued on in silence, but her curiosity made her break it.

"I didn't know gods needed to eat." She mused out loud.

Tsubame giggled and blushed in embarrassment. She glanced up in horror to see Kaoru's expression, but when she realized that there was nothing but warmth and encouragement present in the queen's eyes, she chose to explain. "You actually don't, Majesty." She started. "But the food that we have here in the palace aren't just food."

"What do you mean?"

The young girl smiled. "These are offerings from the mortals, my Queen. They bring us wine, fruits, meat, and other types of offerings, and as gods, you take them in to gain strength. The mortals aren't really aware of this, but most of your strength comes from their offerings, sacrifices, and prayers. It is their belief that makes your magic strong."

Kaoru's brows furrowed in thought. "But weren't the High King and Queen present before anything else? How would they have gotten their strength if there was no one there to give them all those things?"

"You are different, Majesty." Tsubame said softly and reverently. "You and His Highness are powered by your core strengths—darkness and light. This is why the two of you would still continue to exist even if the rest of the world perishes. So long as there is darkness and light, your magic will remain strong."

"I… see." She said softly as she processed the information. At that moment, she really wished Kenshin would return already so they could talk about what was happening. However, she didn't want to disturb him any more than she already has—especially after the fit that she threw the night before while he was trying to explain things to her. She gingerly plucked a grape from the tray and thought back on what Tsubame said.

"Tsubame?" she asked softly after a while. "I'm sorry for asking, but… what exactly are you?" She blushed and backpedaled. "I mean, I don't mean to offend you or anything, but I just thought…"

"It's alright, Highness." Tsubame giggled. "I'm one of the angels created for the palace. It is my honor and duty to serve and protect you and the High King."

"Protect us? But you're so… small."

"I have been trained to use wind and arrows, my Queen. Please don't worry about me—I've had a thousand years of training, and I assure you that I am capable of doing my duty."

"Kaoru, please." She smiled. "You don't have to call me any title. I'd much prefer it if you call me Kaoru."

The tray clattered and glass shattered on the hardwood floors when the table was turned over. The couch that Tsubame was sitting on also flew to the end of the room when the little girl was suddenly covered in bright swirls of golden light as wings sprouted from her back.

Kaoru, who was more than surprised by the sudden movements and shift of their environment sat frozen on her seat as she watched Tsubame's wings spread wide as the little girl crouched low in front of her with one knee on the ground and the other pulled up to her chest. One of her fists was placed firmly on the ground while the other was clutched over her heart. Her head was bowed so low that the only thing that Kaoru could see was the crown of her head.

"Tsubame, what's going on?" she asked shakily.

"Majesty, I am most unworthy." The girl answered. "You have given me more honor than I deserve, but I swear on the wind, on my arrows, my wings, and my life—I swear to protect and honor your name with all that I am."

"I don't—uh… what?"

The door opened and Kaoru turned to find Kenshin walking towards her and the angel that was still kneeling in front of her. She sighed gratefully as he came closer, greeting him with a soft, "Kenshin."

The High King smiled at her, but his eyes widened in surprise when he saw Tsubame's crouched form. "What's going on?" he asked.

"I really have no idea." She answered honestly.

He nodded at her and motioned for her to stand beside him. He held her hand as he addressed the girl before them. "Tsubame?" he asked softly. "What happened?"

The angel froze at the sound of her King's voice, but she schooled herself to answer his query. "My Queen has given me the privilege of knowing her name, Highness."

Kenshin glanced meaningfully at Kaoru before turning back to Tsubame. "And do you swear to protect that knowledge? Do you swear to protect it from beings that may want to cause your Queen harm? Do you swear to put your lady's name before your life, if need be?"

"On the wind, my arrows, my wings, and my life, Majesty."

"Very well, angel." He nodded gravely. "Rise and know that you have our trust. You may go."

Tsubame stood gracefully and bowed low to the two gods in front of her. Kaoru smiled at her tear-stained face when the angel cast her one last grateful look before leaving the room.

Once the girl was gone, Kaoru sat herself heavily onto the single couch beside her. Kenshin looked down at her and squeezed her hand gently to offer his comfort and she let herself be surrounded by the warmth of his magic.

"What the hell happened?" she asked fearfully. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Kaoru, you told her your name." He explained calmly.

"So? Everyone knows my name."

He sighed. "Darling, our names are sacred. Not even the other gods know what we call each other when we are together. It—telling someone your name is a… spell of sorts. It creates a bond between you and the person who you gave it to, and it is not something that can be easily reversed."

She looked up at him warily. "What kind of bond?"

"You share some of your strength with the person, and you also draw strength from them. Your lives become bonded together. In Tsubame's case, while you won't die if she dies, you will be weakened by her passing. Tsubame, on the other hand, will perish if your life ends." He explained. "We know all of the gods' names because we created them. We will know if any of them are harmed or if they die, but our strength won't be affected by anything that happens to them because they don't know our names. No one in this palace knew of them until today, Kaoru."

She sighed and digested the information, and Kenshin watched her carefully as she did so. Suddenly, her hand grasped his tightly and he looked up at him in fear. "But Kenshin… there are a lot of people who know my name."

"What do you mean?" he asked worriedly.

"I was called Kaoru while I was outside of this palace." She said carefully. "They may not know who I really am, but they know my name."

He froze, and she wasn't really surprised anymore when she saw ice creeping across the corners of the room.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Okay, so I really hope I was able to explain the whole name thing well enough. I know Kaoru seems very fickle in this chapter, but please understand that she's going through a lot of shock, anger, confusion, and panic—that, coupled with the warmth and comfort that she feels whenever she's around Kenshin is really enough to drive someone crazy, don't you think? She doesn't know what to feel yet, but fear not, because she will stabilize as we proceed.

There are a lot of things that I still have to establish in the next chapters so you can all understand Kaoru's history. I hope you guys can bear with me as I put them together.

I really hope you guys enjoyed this! Feel free to let me know what you think or if you have any other questions. I'll do my best to consider and answer them when I write the succeeding chapters.

Cheers!


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